Nikhil

Before joining the program, my job search was chaotic. I spent years in IT, starting as an engineer and gradually moving closer to the business. I made a deliberate decision to pivot into product management, but my search was all over the place — I was on LinkedIn applying randomly for anything that looked like it might fit. I started with enthusiasm, but when results didn't come, imposter syndrome crept in.

My biggest aha moment was working on my stories. I thought my STAR-formatted stories were good, but they weren't even close to what they needed to be. There was a huge gap between what I thought was impactful and what actually resonated with interviewers.

When I started applying with my revamped LinkedIn, resume, and narrative, I immediately started getting more inbound calls than ever before. The Expedia opportunity came through an inbound recruiter call. The interview process included multiple rounds with senior and director-level people. My stories were perfectly aligned, and for the first time, I could see the reaction of the interviewers — they knew I had made real impact.

Beyond the tactical preparation, the mindset work was the biggest contribution. Manifesting that each opportunity was the right one, showing up with confidence and intentionality — that's what truly made the difference. I wish I had joined sooner.